The Big Sandy news. [volume] (Louisa, Ky.) 1885-1929, 1887-12-22

He got a bit of stone and drove the hinges
back to place making IA little nose ms pos
sible Then he closed 1t on its wooden
latch But some underlined deference TO the
late wishes OF that man on the floor kept
him from putting up bar
1t also came to his mind that he would
have to go TO Gallagher's for help, So think
ing, he began to put on his tattered over
coat and wrap his feet and lega The woman
sat still, moaning, with her eyes fixed on
the face against her shoulder
When Steve was ready, he broached the
subject of his going to her, but she scarcely
seemed to hear So he went out carefully
shutting the door behind him, and BREASTED
the snow.
At the post-mortem examination IL APP
peared that the pistol ball had ranged MP
ward through the brain The body was
brought on litter across the snow and tho
mountain next day, and undertakers came
from Portland to embalm and inclose it for
its last journey.
It was clear to the minds of the Iona
mans cbums that he was not responsible
for what had taken place in his cabin But
the wretched widow was so beau tful and
the rumors of her wealth so great that one
hardened youth after another led Steve into
private corners there to poke him with
their thumbs or wink az him. until his rage
slowly rose to red heat
Until her friends arrived she depended
upon the lone man. lie enlisted the Gal
aghers TO shelter and watch over her like a
child and he bore NIL the brunt of inquiry.
He telegraphed TO the addresses she gave
him, and solemnly escorted from the train
to her door group who arrived at the end
OF two days
And very grand people they were. A SEN
ator, and Judge, u millionaire and the
Judges wife, woman almost ns beautiful
as the widow They made brief lingering,
but the inhabitants were able TO g.tuer
some satisfaction from them Tho judge,
who did the talking, admitted that the de-
ceased had been subject to violent moods
and at such times his wife stood in extreme
terror of him The Judge was in state OF
complacent resignation. He said he was
glad the fellow would never be able TO chase
that young girl as far from home again
She had run before and had alwaystaken to
the wilderness He did not like to kick a
man when man was down, but truth was
mighty and would prevail, and the truth
in this case was that the deceased ought to
have fiourlshed his pistol in his own face
long before he did
The lone man stood on the railroad plat
form and helped lift a long box into the
baggage car while the widow and her
friends were embarking. He was too shy
to bid her farewell and she allowed herself
to be helped to her place as II she had for
gotten him. But she had not forgotten him
She threw up her window and drew him
with reckoning fingers
Steve came slouching under the window
He felt AFFECT beneath that higb-hred beau
tiful face which seemed to look beyond him
Goodbye, Mr. Barrymore Thank you"
she said taking hold of his hand,
The lone man felt that she left a paper
in his hand, but he gave no sign OF having
received any thing until the train had
steamed away, and was lost among the
windlngs of the hills. The lone man then
went cautiously up the mountain bit, and
stood behind rock to unfold his relic.
It was draft from Antonio Smith to
Stephen Barrymore. for sum OF
money far beyond his modest dreams OF
wealth
He was too shrewc TO brag about it, or
show the token in its unsubs antial state
He went next day to Portland, end pre-
scented it at bank, where it was duly
h0nored- Ana, BnOrtiy thereafter, DIS
chums around Gaiagher's were telling each
other that eve Barrymore had thrown up
his claim, and gone to San Francisco, and
that was the last that would be heard OF
Steve Barrymore on the Columbia
1t was not the last, however. For, the
next year, a salmon packer went down to
San Francisco, and happened to meet the
lone man SO he had a Christmas nights
story to tell OF him at Galagher's next
ball
why, Steve's getting rich down there.
boys" said this envoy He showed me a
building he owned, and he's got an Office
that's carpeted, and he deals in stocks, and
them big fellers seem to know him BE
wears blue ncckties and it leaked out he's
takin' dancin' lessons, and, with all that,
he's the uneas.est miserable fellow you
ever saw didn't say any thing, but
knowed he was inter that Widow Smith,
you recollect; and I'll bet, before he gets
through his little dance, he'll wish he was
back on the lone mans old claim, with his
toes to the cabin fire once mora
MARY HARTwEIL CATHERwooD